Huntington City still had street scenes where walls were covered with steam pipes, and it was still a City where carriages, gentlemen, and barefoot children coexisted.
However, the southern Carson Rick Kingdom and the northern Delarion Kingdom had some cultural differences, so even though they were cities of the same era, their settings and styles varied greatly.
In the northern Delarion Kingdom, cities pursued straight roads in the correct direction and symmetrical layouts; while in Carson Rick's cities, one could encounter rare sloping streets, and blocks were often divided by intersecting roads.
The commonalities were the prosperous and lively big City scenery, the lingering mist within the City, the predominantly gray and black dress code, and the intricate network of alleys connecting the main streets.
Due to its terrain, Huntington City's urban area often featured sloped streets.
And on the streets here, besides flower girls and newspaper Boys, there were also children carrying small baskets and selling grapes.
After all, not all grapes are used for winemaking, so Huntington City, located in the northern United Kingdom, is also an important producer of fruit grapes in Carson Rick.
Xia De even had the coachman stop to buy some grapes, which he then turned into toys and put into his pocket, planning to give them as gifts to the doctor and Priest Augustus after returning to Tobesk.
Although Huntington City is located in the central plains of the Old Continent, the City itself is built on a raised hill.
The City is generally undulating, and the roads leading to the central urban area are all uphill.
The central urban area is home to the City Hall, high-end clubs, restaurants, the Opera House, and the residences of nobles, while other functional areas of the City, such as large markets and civic squares, are mostly concentrated in the flatter outskirts of the City.
Watching the streetscape of the unfamiliar southern City from the carriage window, the carriage carrying Xia De and Bernhardt passed through a rather steep upward slope and through a gate-like area between towers before stopping at the entrance of the White King Club in the center of Huntington City.
It was only a street away from Huntington City Hall, with the Carson Rick Bank, controlled by the royal family, on the left, and the Huntington Garden Opera House on the right.
Those entering and exiting the club were all noble Southerners of considerable status.
After Bernhardt stepped out of the carriage, he didn't even need to show his membership badge; a waiter immediately came out to welcome the Viscount's arrival.
He and Xia De, who had obvious Delarion features, entered the understated yet luxurious and tasteful high-end club led by the waiter, and Xia De was seated in the club's restaurant, where books were provided to pass the time, and Bernhardt's own servant was left to attend to Xia De.
Bernhardt temporarily left the club, asking Xia De to wait a moment.
High-end club restaurants are usually also places for private conversations.
The restaurant's decor was not ostentatious, but it possessed a distinctive style and ambiance.
The tables were spaced far apart, allowing people to dine and converse in low voices.
Bernhardt returned quickly, carrying a wooden box in his hand.
He sat down and opened the box, revealing a wine bottle with a cork stopper nestled among straw.
"Look at this."
He handed the wine bottle to Xia De, who examined it with surprise, looking at the label affixed to the bottle.
It was a hand-drawn label with carson rick text and a vineyard landscape:
"Midrow Winery, 1803 vintage?"
"Yes, yes, you have good taste."
Bernhardt showed a somewhat proud expression:
"Moreover, this label is the work of the late Carson Rick painter Mr. Vincent.
Now, the label itself is enough to be auctioned off.
This is a famous wine collected by my father, which was later passed down to me, and I've never been willing to open it.
Although precious, wine is meant to be drunk, and your visit to this City today makes it perfectly suitable to celebrate with this bottle."
Saying that, he skillfully summoned the club's waiters, handed them the bottle for decanting, and said with a smile:
"Mr. Watson, compared to what you have done, what I can repay is truly too little.
Please do not be polite today; since you are a guest in this City, you must give me the opportunity to repay you."
Bernhardt was happy to see Xia De again, and Xia De was also very happy to meet an acquaintance as soon as he arrived in an unfamiliar City.
While waiting for the wine to decant, the two ordered from the club's menu, and Bernhardt also introduced Xia De to Carson Rick's local delicacies.
By the time the opened wine was returned in an ice bucket, the first main course, Huntington Caramel Roasted Fish, was already on the table.
A waiter poured red wine for the two, while another Carson Rick gentleman in formal attire walked over:
"Bernhardt, long time no see, have you returned from Delarion?"
He greeted the Vampire familiarly, but this gentleman with a Huntington accent was an ordinary person.
"Yes, I returned more than half a month ago.
Look, this is my new friend whom I met in Delarion, Mr. John Watson, the Writer."
Then, he introduced him to Xia De:
"This is the local Baron Roland."
The Baron politely shook hands with Xia De, then smiled and asked:
"Mr. Watson, do you play rhode cards?"
"Of course, we can play together if there's an opportunity."
Xia De said politely, and the smile on the Baron's face immediately became more sincere.
He then said to Bernhardt:
"Look, you finally brought out this bottle of wine.
Since you're with a guest, I won't disturb you further."
Saying that, he patted Bernhardt's shoulder, then pointed upstairs:
"That person is also here, upstairs.
Now, the young people here are all trying their best to get up there."
"That person?"
After the Baron left, Xia De, holding his dining fork, hesitantly asked:
"Is there someone of significant status also in the club?"
Bernhardt hesitated for a moment, then said to his servant, a young man who was also a Vampire:
"Bring Mr. Watson today's 'Huntington Morning News'."
Then he said to Xia De:
"Look at the front page."
The servant quickly brought the newspaper, and the front-page headline read: 'Princess Margaret Anjou and the Visiting Delegation Arrive in Huntington City Today'.
"Departed on Saturday by steam airship, I didn't expect to arrive in Huntington today, which is only Thursday."
Xia De suddenly understood.
"Mr. Watson, you also know about her upcoming visit to Tobesk, right?"
He pointed to the newspaper on the dining table, and Xia De nodded:
"Yes, Tobesk has been preparing for it for a long time.
My house has a direct view of Yodel Palace, and Yodel Palace has also been undergoing renovations and cleaning recently."
Bernhardt knew Xia De's true identity but not his specific address, and hearing him say this was quite surprising.
He hadn't expected this young and powerful North Country Knight to live such a prosperous life:
"Yes, the Princess is currently upstairs in the club.
I thought so; when I came in earlier, those few guards downstairs were clearly not locals, so they must be royal guards."
Xia De showed an understanding expression, but his purpose in coming to this City was for the Lake Goddess, and the Princess's matter could wait until Tobesk.
However, he still cautiously touched the pendant on his chest.
This pendant, which detects Witches, did not heat up, indicating that Miss Silvia, the Great Witch of the Council's Thirteen Seats, who was the Princess's accompanying math teacher and private doctor, was not nearby.
The two ate and chatted, with the initial topic naturally being about Middelsburg.
Although many Vampires were arrested by the Church, Bernhardt did not feel sad about it, as he was not familiar with most of them, and there were not many unlucky individuals in his clan.
And when speaking of that God of Vampires, the middle-aged Vampire Viscount again showed great reverence.
He was unwilling to say too much on this topic but still lowered his voice to inform Xia De that after the battle of Middelsburg, the Vampires received a divine oracle instructing all members of their race who participated in the Middelsburg operation not to investigate the truth of that night.
Xia De understood this behavior, believing that the God of Vampires was strictly adhering to the wager witnessed by all things are impermanent Balance before the Sicar Mountain duel.
The Vampires not pursuing the truth of that night was, in fact, a good thing for him.
The truth of the Sicar Mountain divine war would eventually be submerged in the long river of history.
Bernhardt was not a born Vampire but was transformed later.
This was something he admitted to Xia De, and he seemed to have a strong sense of identity with this status, likely having many unforgettable stories from when he underwent the transformation ritual.
He confessed to Xia De that he could command most of the Vampires in Huntington City.
Therefore, if Xia De encountered trouble in this City, he could ask him for help at any time.
Surrounded by local nobles of status, the atmosphere in the club was very harmonious.
The Outsider and the Vampire discussed things that absolutely could not be overheard by others.
Xia De thought for a moment and lowered his voice:
"Mr. Bernhardt, actually, you should have figured it out."
Xia De put down the silver dining knife in his hand:
"I can perform conditional spatial jumps at different locations."
The other party knew his identity in Middelsburg, and with a little investigation, it could be found that at the same time in Tobesk City, Xia De's scandal with the Duchess was still ongoing:
"The place where I can appear in Huntington is that White River Valley Vineyard, so I hope..."
"No problem, White River Valley Vineyard is managed by me.
I will prepare an extra horse there for you; you can ride into the City from now on and stable the horse at Ferdinand Wine Merchants in the west of the City, which is also my property."
Bernhardt nodded and assured that everyone who had seen Xia De was very reliable:
"So what are you here for? I think I might be able to help you."
He gently shook his stemmed glass, while Xia De continued to lower his voice and asked:
"Have you heard any rumors about the Lake Goddess?"
